Staff
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Tavae SamueluExecutive Director
Tavae Samuelu is the Executive Director for Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC). As the Executive Director, Tavae provides strategic oversight towards realizing EPIC’s mission to promote social justice by engaging the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities through culturally-relevant development, advocacy, and research. She’s passionate about liberation work and supporting the political consciousness and growth of youth. Tavae was born and raised in Long Beach, CA, and moved to the Bay to attend Cal where she majored in Ethnic Studies. Before joining EPIC, she served as the Development Director for the RYSE Youth Center in Richmond and has since become a member of RYSE’s Board of Directors.
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Natasha SaeluaLead Researcher
Natasha Saelua is the Lead Researcher for EPIC. In this role, Natasha collects, records, and disseminates knowledge for and about the NHPI community by directing key projects and building partnerships with academic institutions. Her passions include Pacific Islander cultures and histories, culturally relevant education, and community empowerment. Born and raised a military brat, she attended high school in the Bay Area before attending UCLA, for her bachelor's, and later on, master's degree. Prior to this role, she served as a founding board member for EPIC, while working in student affairs at UCLA's Community Programs Office. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in higher education at Indiana University.
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Ronia AueluaLeadership Development Manager
Lefao Alii-Ronia Auelua was born in American Samoa and raised in San Bernadino, CA. Her Auelua side is from the village of Lepa in Upolu and her Satele side is from Vailoatai in Tutuila. As a Samoan pastor's kid in the diaspora, culture has been an immense part of her development as a young person. Inspired to learn more about the Pacific, she furthered her education in Hawaii where she obtained her Bachelors and Masters from the University of Hawaii's Center for Pacific Island Studies program. She realized the importance of supporting and developing youth in the community through her church and as an alumni of Pacific Islanders Leaders of Tomorrow (PILOT) and Leadership in Action (LIA). She is currently serving as EPIC's new Leadership Development Manager and looks forward to working more with Pacific Islander young leaders.
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